The present invention relates to a screwing station, in particular along an assembly line, comprising at least one machine frame and a screwing tool adjustably supported relative thereto between at least one retracted and one operative position and connected to a supply and, optionally, a measuring line.
Such screwing stations are e.g. arranged along assembly lines in car manufacturing. They serve to assemble engines, gears, or the like. The screwing station comprises a machine frame which is arranged next to the assembly line or is part of the assembly line. The machine frame has arranged thereon the standard means of a screwing station, e.g. base carrier, holding carrier, control cabinet, control panel, and the like. Furthermore, for transporting the workpieces to be screwed, the machine frame has assigned thereto a transportation means for the workpieces to be screwed, e.g. a workpiece carrier that is movable along rails, a slide, a transportation belt, or the like. With these transportation means, the corresponding workpiece is moved into its assembly position relative to the screwing station and worked in said position by means of the screwing tool. After the workpiece has been properly arranged, the screwing tool is moved from its retracted position into its operative position in which it screws e.g. appropriate screw bolts on the workpiece.
The screwing tool is connected at least to a supply line via which, depending on the configuration of the screwing tool, an electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic or other supply takes place for driving the screwing tool. Furthermore, it is possible that the screwing tool is connected to a corresponding measuring line via which e.g. pickups are connected on the screwing tool to an associated evaluation means. Such pickups may be a speed pickup, a torque pickup, or the like.
In a screwing station already known from practice, the screwing tool, preferably a plurality of such screwing tools, are moved as a whole relative to the machine frame between retracted position and operative position. The supply lines and measuring lines are thus also moved. The mass to be moved on the whole is relatively large. Furthermore, a complicated drive is needed for moving e.g. a slide on which all of the screwing tools are mounted. As a consequence, wear and maintenance work as well as energy consumption are relatively high.